Friday, February 20, 1998
How can we protect out constitutional rights of free speech on the Web and protect innocent youths from "adult" material? Have a flag or bit-setting on each Web page indicating adult content. Then have the Web browsers use an install-time option that will detect this setting and screen out adult sites for computers dedicated to children.
I don't know all the technical implications, but it seems fair to continue to protect freedom on the Web, yet also accomodate those people who are sensitive to certain classes of material.
My personal solution has been to use my work PC for Web stuff, and leave my home-PC Web-free so as to protect my children. I think the Web is sophisticated enough to provide an intelligent, elegant solution.
Richard Wolpoe
Your editorial comments in "When Does Anti-Spam Zealotry Become Censors" (NSD 4.04) were a bit strong. It makes me wonder if you, or your group have a hidden agenda. Are you involved in some form of spamming? Spam is the most unpleasant aspect of the Internet. I find it most intrusive. I smile when I hear about the more aggressive antispammers' antics. I really see no difference between someone actually sending spam, and someone saying I will soon be sending you a bunch of the stuff.
If spammers would simply be required to put "advertisement" in the header, and their real return address on their junk mail I would be satisfied.
Richard Ulrich
We're not involved in spamming in the least. No one even gets to see our mailing list. As for not seeing a difference in sending spam and saying they will - well, I'm glad you're not a judge. - LN
An enterprise that depends on people giving them their e-mail addresses should be very careful about even appearing to be pro-spam. Just a thought.
Richard Ulrich
I'd stop working here if I thought we were trying to avoid stepping on anyone's - spammer or spam-hater - toes. - LN
I agree that the n.a.n.a.* people are primarily control freaks using the spam issue to further their goal. I didn't take part in the Galaxy Net incident (didn't know about it until now) but I find it odd that you come down so heavily on the anti-spammers for "doing what they could get away with" when I never heard such a harsh condemnation of Wallace and Rines when they did anything and everything they could get away with.
You know full well that Wallace's tactics have been to exploit any means to force his spam on those not wishing to receive it. To try to isolate Wallace's right to have a Web site from the entire issue is artificial. This battle is going to be fought with force - like it or not. Wallace is going to try to force his spam on the public and those with the wherewithall are going to try to force it right back down his throat and the throats of anyone who aids his efforts in any way.
You'll no longer have me in your audience. Apologists for Wallace are no friends of mine.
Bob White
To be fair to Laurie, I'm the one who wrote that little editorial rant so don't hold it against him.
We may have failed to state the obvious: that Wallace and his crowd are a serious pain in the butt. We may be even more sensative to this then the average netsurfer, since we have several very public addresses where the general public contacts us, and we're forced to wade through up to a thousand spam messages weekly just in the course of doing our job. We have to sift out the junk from the gold in our submission and editorial addresses. So no, we don't like spam at all.
On the other hand, I strongly think that Wallace's right to have a passive Web site is a much more important issue then him bugging my machine with spam. I, individually, can block him if I don't like his spam and it's my choice, under my control. But by depriving him of his site, I deprive those who may actually want to have a dialogue with him from doing so - I thus become the censor for (an admittedly miniscule) minority. I dislike that idea because someday I may find myself part of a similar minority (say by advocating strong encryption for the masses) and I'm loathe to set a precedent which may be used against me.
Consider a hypothetical example. What would happen if the anti-spam extremists get to be too much of a pain and if, say, China or the FBI decided to brand them as Net criminals and started mounting denial of service attacks against their machines. I certainly would defend the anti-spammers right to advocate their views, and I suspect so would you.
Bottom line, just because a view is unpopular does not mean that is should be supressed - we've demonstrated in this e-zine over and over again where that is generally totally counterproductive, and I personally find it morally unsustainable.
We took pains to note that Wallace and Rine have not used the new Web site to do any spamming - that's the distinction I make, and I think it's one worth making. Now, if Wallace and Rine were using their Web site to mount spam attacks against my machines then all bets are off and I'd try to nail their ass. But if all they're doing is talking about it, it's no skin off my back to let them rant, and in fact in the global picture I do more harm then good by trying to supress them.
I hope I've made it clear that I'm certainly no apologist for spammers. I certainly think it's a loathsome practice, right up there with unsolicited phone solicitors who call me when I'm eating dinner and watching the Olympics. - AB
As one who was nearly driven in frustration from the Internet by the spammers a month or two ago when I was forced to change my e-mail address, I would suggest that your article attacking folks expressing opposition to Mr. Wallace's latest venture was a bit one-eyed! This is a two-way street!
Surely, the right of free speech extends also to telling the carriers of objectionable material that you disapprove of that content! If a person approaches you brandishing a knife, only a complete idiot would wait until it was stuck between his ribs before attempting to defend himself. (Yeah, that is a bit overdramatic, but you get the idea!)
I did not write to Mr.Wallace's provider complaining that his proposed service was anti-social in nature, but I certainly would have if I had realized that the proposal was in the wind, and I thought that my complaint might have some effect!
My heartfelt thanks to those simplistic dictatorial bumpkins that did complain! They have exercised their right of free speech, and have performed a valuable service to the majority of Net users by doing so!
Frank Halliwell
Oh, we have no problems with complaining about spam. In fact we encourage it. But did you receive any spam from Wallace's new network? Certainly not. What bugs me was that threats were involved before there was a shred of spam sent out to anyone from that site. It's a fine yet significant distinction that seems to be beyond many people. Wallace was targeted simply for advocating an idea. That bugs me.
Now, once he starts spamming again I'll happily toss him to the lions, but if he just talks about it he should be able to do so with impunity.
Someday you may find yourself on the tail end of an unpopular minority - would you like it if you were censored? I rather think not. - AB
There's a difference between expressing opposition and saying "I'm going to find out where you work, burn down your servers, and cut your kidneys out and feed them to my goldfish." That's just an imaginary threat I made up, by the way. - LN
I've been a reader of Netsurfer Digest for some time. I've always been particularly happy with you. But I strongly disagree with you on this one. You are accusing the anti-spammers of stifling free speech. Do those anti-spammers not have the same right?
Yes, I'm sure that some of the anti-spammers got carried away. According to one of the articles, some went so far as to make threats. And no, I don't agree with those individuals. But that doesn't make the rest of the anti-spammers into what you call "A rampaging mob of simplistic dictatorial bumpkins who left jackboot-prints over a fundamental liberty".
I agree with you on one point - Wallace and Rines have a right to put up the Web site if they wish. Just as the KKK and the neo-Nazis and the gay bashers should be able to put up their Web sites. On the other hand, people that don't like the site shouldn't be censored into remaining quiet. And the goal of the spammers isn't to put up a Web site and leave people alone. Their goal is to harass everyone that they can.
Before you start telling me that the anti-spammers were name calling and being impolite, look at the history of the spammers in question - and the name calling you yourself used in your article. Frankly, I expected better of you.
Stephen Whitis
My my, aren't we righteously offended? Speaking of "crossing the line", I think that your introductory abstract was unusually vitriolic, emotional, and altogether rather inappropriately opinionated. Of course you too have the right to an opinion, but get a grip. Please return to journalistic detachment or sardonic humor and leave your - ahhh, what should I call them - opinions at home.
Joseph Wise
You miss the point. There is nothing really objective about NSD. It's all pure opinion and has been since day one. We have never pretended otherwise (unlike others who cloak their liberal, conservative, or plain looney prejudices in the cloak of objectivity). - AB
I love NSD, but you neglected to point out the most interesting feature of Alta Vista's new translator program... that somehow, what you translate never quite translates back.
Here's your description of the site, from NSD 4.05:
One Day on the Way to the Universal Translator...
Once again, AltaVista is taking the Net by storm. One of the Web's most comprehensive search engines has a great new facility: AltaVista Translation Service. Key in a URL, and AltaVista will translate that page from English to French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, or from one of those languages to English. You can paste any text at all into the translation box to translate that. The more formal (or Latinate) your text, the more likely the translation is to be accurate, and if you want more than a raw translation, you'll still want a human translator. We predict this site will quickly become an important tool for anyone who depends on translation in one of the languages in the Alta Vista database. Down the road, we could see this as a major resource for tourists and salespeople with handheld or automotive PCs and a wireless connection to the Web. Bravo, Digital!
Here it is after being translated into Spanish by AltaVista (note: I had to remove the high ASCII, i.e. accented, characters to make it nice - ed.):
Un da en la manera al traductor universal...
De nuevo, AltaVista est tomando la red por la tormenta. Uno de los motores ms comprensivos de la bsqueda del Web tiene un gran nuevo recurso: Servicio De Traduccin De AltaVista. El clave en un URL, y AltaVista traducir esa paginacin de ingls a francs, a alemn, a italiano, a portugus, o a espaol, o a partir del uno de esos lenguajes al ingls. Usted puede pegar cualquier texto en todos en el rectngulo de la traduccin para traducir eso. El ms formal (o Latinate) su texto, cuanto ms probable la traduccin es ser exacto, y si usted desea ms que una traduccin sin procesar, usted inmvil desear un traductor humano. Predecimos que este sitio se convertir en rpidamente una herramienta importante para cualquier persona que dependa de la traduccin en uno de los lenguajes en la base de datos de Alta Vista. Abajo del camino, podramos ver esto como recurso importante para los turistas y los vendedores con el handheld o las PC automotoras y una conexin sin hilos al bravo del Web, digital!
Here it is put back in and retranslated to English:
A day in the way to the universal translator...
Again, AltaVista is taking the network by the storm. One of the most comprehensive motors of the search of the Web has a great new resource: Service De Traduccio'n De AltaVista. The key in a URL, and AltaVista will translate that pagination of English to French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, or from the one of those languages to the English. You can stick any text in all in the rectangle of the translation to translate that. The most formal (or Latinate) its text, the more probable the translation is to be exact, and if you wish more than a translation without processing, immovable you will wish a human translator. We predict that this site will quickly become an important tool for any person who depends on the translation in one of the languages in the data base of Alta Vista. Under the way, we could see this like important resource for the tourists and the salesmen with handheld or PC automotive and one connection without threads to Bravo of the Web, digitalis!
Bravo of the Web, Netsurfer Digest....
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
That's hilarious. I'm still chuckling. I wish I'd thought of that.
It's true that it's not completely accurate. We did warn that "if you wish more than a translation without processing, immovable you will wish a human translator." But if you have no idea what that says in Spanish, you do get at least what they're trying to convey with the translator. - LN
I didn't mean it's a bad site, I love it. I just also enjoy the fringe benefit of retranslation. Try it with the next porn spam you get and you'll feel much better about getting it.
Spam after retranslation:
It alerts! Adults Only! He alerts! Adults Only! If you are under 21 years of the age, or not interested in explicit sexual material... now she please strikes his button of the cancellation of the keyboard! Available NOW for only $9,95! Later 10 Days Only!
The not censured Authentic Subterranean LEES DE PAMELA ANDERSON AND LEES DE TOMMY TAPE VIDEO OF SEX!
It alerts! This tape video shows alive scenes of oral sex and of the sexual copula in alive color and it only offers to the adults conclui'do 21 years of the age!
You have heard and/or probably read on this controversial video that the demand of Pamela and Tommy was robbed from its Malibu home. They even demanded the compartment of the attic to prevent the reimpresiones with this video. They have called lees of Pamela Anderson, the star of the demonstration " Baywatch " of the blow TV and the girl of the cover of the compartment of Playboy the most attractive girl of the world! Its famous tatooed the lees of Tom " equipment of the rock of the motley " is the redoblante for the group. Together, threw to these explicit homemade films its private pleasure never that dreamed that they would be robbed and release/versio'n so that all see. In this video that chisporrotea, you will see and hear PAM giving Tommy of oral sex in your car as they turn aside recklessly it swallows the highway 15 that tows a boat!
You will see and hear to PAM and Tommy who make oral sex and who have copula in their yacht deprived in the lake Mead, near Fertile valleys whereas they celebrate the birthday of PAM. You will see the first one of the famous chests, entrerroscas and the vagina of PAM and will see PAM in the bathtub, the swimming pool and much, much more!
This video is a genuine item of the collectors... a true piece of the conversation... a great item of the gift for the suitable person and will be a great blow in its following party of the bacherlor! It is also a great excitamiento for a two-some romantic one!
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
I used to enjoy and appreciate NSD, but I've had enough of your puerile, juvenile satire aimed at Clinton, and I particularly don't like your language. Call me a prude if you want, but don't call me with NSD anymore. Please remove me from your distribution list immediately.
Bruce Ammerman
Your format change seems to have been accompanied by an injection of politics. I do not appreciate your political attacks on the President.
Previously, you were Jack Webb: "just the facts". Now you seem to want to be Matt Drudge. Frankly, I miss the old format and the old attitude - i.e., without the right-wing politics and the pro-spam propaganda.
Leonard E. Sienko, Jr. - Hancock, New York
We're not right-wing, we're whatever we feel like at the moment.
Clinton is a liar. He lied about Gennifer, at the very least. And anyone who believes "but I didn't inhale" ought to have his head examined. Before this Lewinsky deal arose, I tended to believe him over Paula Jones, but now I'm more inclined to believe her regardless of who's funding her. And what about the floozies on the Arkansas gubernatorial campaign trail?
Yeah, yeah. I know none of this has been legally proven yet. But if it walks like a duck, smells like a duck, and sounds like a duck....
On the other hand, Clinton isn't guilty of anything unique, among presidents or the general population. What is unique is the scrutiny that he receives, his unfortunate harvest at this point in history. I don't think he commited any impeachable offense (although pressuring Lewinsky to commit perjury would qualify, that is still a rumour). Compared to the Reagan/North affair, this is peanuts.
A line has to be drawn between private and public life. Missteps in public life - i.e. abusing your job as president - can and should be prosecuted. Nixon and Reagan come to mind. Missteps in private life may call into question one's leadership abilities, and whether or not one believes that such failings should be exposed to public scrutiny, right now our culture votes to do so. So we do.
We may have pointed to some sites that attack politically. We've also pointed to sites that support Clinton. Our own commentary makes fun of his - what should we call it? Foibles? Addiction? Hobby? We do it because it's there to make fun of, not because we oppose him politically. These are personal attacks, and they are not politically motivated. Far from it. I think Clinton has done a bang-up job, except for bungling that health care reform. Frankly, I couldn't care less who's beneath the desk in the Oval Office, and I wouldn't want to see him lose his job over something so inconsequential to the job.
I would say that if NSD were deconstructed to find a political agenda, we'd come off as left-wing libertarians. We don't want the government (or anyone) to interfere with the free exchange of information, but we admire socialized medicine, we're environmentalist, we support tax dollars going to R&D, we're for gun control, non-smoker's rights....
I guess you could accuse us of ill manners, or of bandwagon-hopping, but we're really not right-wing. Regardless, Clinton should keep his pants on. - LN
The management would also like to express it's slavish devotion to the
politics of rampant capitalism.
In fairness to the diversity of people who work here it's probably worth noting that Laurie is using the Editorial We, and his political views may or may not reflect those of the rest of our staff. Standard disclaimer aside, it's also worth noting that whatever our individual politics I don't ever recall any conflict over editorial matters with Laurie, which, if you think about it, translates to my profound respect for his opinions. - AB
Greatly appreciate your mention of us in the Clinton round-up. Many thanks. I'm a long time reader and fan of Netsurfer Digest.
Andrew Ross - Managing Editor, Salon Magazine
I have been a subscriber to NSD since way back. I like your new format - much easier to read. Kudos!
What I really wanted to write about, however, is NSD 4.01. It is absolutely the best I've seen! I've already spent a couple of hours accessing the sites and I'm not done yet. I'm just taking a short break to write this note. Keep it up! Thanks!
Jim Beard - Dayton, Ohio
Congrats on the new NSD! Looks pretty good, though you should have the index in its own separate frame, allowing it to remain as you are sent up and down the right frame to view the summaries of the stories. Otherwise, you have to scroll back to see the index again.
Keep up the great work of bringing us all the most interesting places to read about and to go on the Web!
Dennis Poehls
I like the new format, but why not break it up into two frames so you don't have to keep scrolling back up to the top to see the menu? Great job! Thanx!
Don Peterson
FRAMES SUCK
FRAMES SUCK
FRAMES SUCK
Pubnetix
I don't like your putting links on the left. Is this the frames wannabee version? I don't like frames either.
I read only your mailing and no others. I read every issue and enjoy it very much.
Terry Clark
Just to set the record straight: we don't use frames, we use tables. - LN
Please please use a bigger font in your index of articles at the beginning of each issue. It was fine before, but now it's way too small!
David Girardot
I like the new look. Fits my 17" monitor and Outlook 98 perfectly. Since I am the admin for an ISP, it loads nice and quick across our T-3 to my 128 kbps ISDN. Everybody else - get your own NT server at home and be a pig like me, be happy! But then if you're stuck with a Mac or Netscuse - er, Netsloth - er, Netsometimes - you know, the one that Java blows up, yuck.
Grady Yearwood
Love the new NSD format!
Marc Barman - Cupertino, California
I like the new format and design of NSD. :-)
Kai Raven
For those users who are having a problem fitting all the NSD text on their screens, I've got a suggestions. There's a new Web browser out, called Opera, which allows you to resize your screen on the fly, so that you can set it (for example) at 80% for NSD, and back to 100% for the next thing you're looking at. It's also got a much smaller footprint than Netscape or IE, and has a lot of other nifty features as well.
Viv Sutherland
So you've gone with frames and cool formatting. Why did your site seem more legitimate and interesting when it was formatted with basic HTML? Just my perception, but count this oldtimer's vote. Perhaps your raw format set you apart from Jesse Burst and Wired and the rest.
David Tharp
You used to be my favorite service, but I'm going to cancel you. Knock off the time-consuming graphics and HTML and get back to simple ASCII text. Also, knock off the cookie requests! Others may like what you've done, but you lost me.
Gerald Mayer
The cookies come from our advertisers, not us. - LN
The new format is difficult to get used to. But with time I will be fine. I enjoy the reading. Previous issues were nice with full screen view. I also liked the (top) hypertext links so that after reading one article, I could buzz back to index.
Eyerack
At a time when most of the world has discovered that frames are a pain in the scroll bar, Netsurfer has added them. The site is no longer so clear or brief as it once was. I'm afraid you've given up usefulness for attractiveness. After a while, beauty wanes. Utility doesn't.
Jerry Tobias
My monitor died 10 days ago and I was offline while they re-tuned same. Catching up on my mail, I found you toyed with the format whilst I was away. I like the improvement and wish to say that NSD is looked forward to with great anticipation as it is one of the best, bar none. Thanks.
The Attleboro Moonlight Surfer
Clean and easy to read.... Of all the mailing lists out there, yours is one I always look forward to. Keep up the good work!
Jeff Clough
I really like the new look of the magazine. Please keep up the good work. Thanks.
Just a quick "No" vote on the new format. The previous format of a concise table of contents at the top and then full-screen-width articles below is by far the best. There is a lot of wasted space in the left frame, making you scroll even more to read all of the articles. Too many Web sites have gotten carried away with frames and Java, making themselves much more PC intensive and time consuming and turning more people off. That is my vote. But, I still love your publication. Very informative.
Walt Reil
Has anyone else complained about problems with Netscape Communicator and your new format? Ever since I installed Communicator, it crashes on my computer every time I go to read NSD. I never had any such problems with Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0, my old standby.
My only recourse is to read it in MSIE instead, but since I normally do all my work in Netscape this is a real pain. Besides, IE's columnar interface makes reading NSD a pain, since the newsletter gets pushed off the side of the screen unless I reduce the folders column to nothing.
I would be interested to hear if anyone else has reported the problem with Communincator. On my machine, it is very consistent.
Cal Deobald
I love the new format! It is so much easier to read right in Eudora. I used to have to boot up Netscape for it to look decent; very inconvenient it was. It also prints out way cooler. Good job guys!
amckeon
Extend my thanks to Arthur for acting on my plea and that of others in narrowing the width of the script so that it now fits on my screen without having to use the horizontal scroll or modifying the parameters of my browser.
Donald Hirt - Paso Robles, California
Now the site is damn near perfect but for credits at the end. Keep up the good work.
Dave Davis - Victoria, British Columbia
Yeah, a slight glitch has been fixed. - AB
Now it's perfect. God, you guys are good! Have a nice day.
Dave Davis
I hate the new format. Using MSIE 4.71, the introduction is in a very small font and impossible to read. It is now too much work to read NSD. Please go back to the old format.
Barry Kohler - Brunswick, Maine
Your site is positively outstanding! Thanks for being there!
Ed Rogers - Paradise on Earth
Just a quick note to say how much I enjoy your site and how very useful I've found it. Your work ranks among the absolute best the Web has to offer. Please, don't stop putting it all together for us!
Nicola Stratford - South Australia
I believe you have made a great improvement. Having the articles together with the URL is much better than the one liner which jumped you down the page. Good mix of articles, too. Thanks for the great job you do but where you find some of the more off the wall sites is a mystery. Have to set aside a hour or more to go though you message and end up bookmarking a few to return to late.
CyberBiker
Most of our sites I find through reader recommendations. - LN
The improvements in Netsurfer Digest are outstanding!
John Musser
I think something must be wrong with some aspect of my formatting or something. I receive no color, no graphics, no frames. The HTML links in the body of the message work just fine but I've never seen any of the other stuff. The first part of the message is run together. I assume the objects marked by < > are to take you to the item in the body of the message, but they don't work either. Any clues?
Harry Graul
If you view it in a regular e-mail program, it will look pretty much like text - and depending on the program, the links may or may not work. If you save the incoming NSD as a document for viewing in a browser or you use a browser as your e-mail program, the HTML will be implemented and it will look like a Web page. - LN
Here's one for your FAQ: "Why does NSD display fine under Netscape Navigator 3.02, but not at all under Netscape Communicator 4.04?"
Yikes! I upgraded to Communicator, and had to reload Navigator to view NSD. It's worth it, of course, but I can't understand why it won't load in Communicator.
Charles Aulds
Me neither. - LN
Getting better but not quite up to the standards of the original. I just want to use it. God, am I dull!
Tom Rubens
I love the new format. It's a good design, looks professional, and is easy to read. I use 800x600, so don't mind that it overlaps, but in the Web design class that I teach, I tell people to be aware that there are those who still use 640x480. It's just a good design practice. Nice to see you guys changed it.
Keep up the good work! I love the publication.
Debby Young
I recently changed from Internet Mail to Microsoft Outlook Mail. Now I am having trouble reading and saving the newsletters in a readable format. Should I unsubscribe and re-subscribe or is there something else I can try?
Terry Davidson
I hate to sound snide, but what you should try is another e-mail program. We send out a standard HTML document with a standard MIME type, yet Outlook is known to have trouble with it, and several other things. - LN
The new look is impressive. Congratulations on a job well done.
William Paris, Jr.
I have trouble reading your nice magazine after you have shifted to HTML-coded e-mail version.
Please stop using HTML code when you send the magazine. It has been working nice for several years without HTML.
Martin Pedersen
I am not sure if this is your incentive to subscribe to NSD, but it seems lately (no matter what time of day I try) the digest loads very slowly if at all.
Allen Stern
The problem appears to be related to how fast our ad banners are being served. Looks like ad banner service is having problems with overloaded servers. Since their banners take forever to load, that's slowing down the loading of NSD. They are supposed to be adding more servers. - AB
A friend got me started reading NSD, and I have enjoyed it. Keep up the good work. As far as I am concerned, you can leave the President's sex life alone, but other than that, keep up the good work.
Today I discovered how to gain access to newspapers in Switzerland. My Swiss wife will be pleased when she gets home and discovers what I have learned how to do, thanks to you.
Karl Johnson
I enjoyed Scott Simon's piece on y'all on PBS. So glad I saw it as I'm still somewhat of a novice and don't have all that much time to blindly search. I can tell your site will be of great help. Good luck and I hope you make a fortune! And if you do, maybe you can come to B.B. King Homecoming (usually the first Friday each June). Anyway, great work!
Trish Berry - Indianola, Mississippi (home of B.B. King)
So little time, so great to have some of the best of the Web brought to me on a regular basis. Keep up the excellent work!
Magnus Wood
Kudos to you and your staff! Excellent job with the digest. The format and content are top rate! We, as a family, look forward to every issue. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Dave Alexander
Tell you what, dear reader. If you correctly the number of times that people have written "keep up the good work" or some variation thereof to me, in this and all other Letters to the Editor pages, I'll send you some of the excess neat crap hanging around my office. - LN
Don Cherry right now is a Canadian icon, both loved and disliked by many. Last year, I had the opportunity to see a televised biography on the CBC. What that man has gone through to get where he is right now is quite amazing!
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Rose Cherry (Don's wife and agent) passed away from cancer. There was very little media coverage; everyone pulled back and allowed the family to mourn. I have heard that the flow of letters was tremendous.
Recently in Windsor, a young boy died on the ice while playing hockey. I think he died from a heart attack after having an epileptic seizure. Don Cherry brought the story of this young man into his Coach's Corner and told everyone about the incident. It was a very moving piece of television. And so it goes.
Linda E. Darwent - Windsor, Ontario
Have you actually seen the spam? (NSD 4.02)
Stop by the e-mail abuse newsgroup and you will see that *no one* has seen a copy of the spam. Too many people crying wolf....
Patrick Grote
It showed up in my mailbox. If anyone else really wants to see it, ask me. - LN
About Audible.com (NSD 4.02) and their concept: Yes, a fine idea, but why not also mention that you might be able to do much the same for free by downloading one of the hundreds (thousands?) of text files from the Gutenburg project and using inexpensive or free software (such as comes with some sound cards) to read it aloud to you? Generally the books will be older (past copyright) but many are terrific classics and well worth reading (or listening to), especially for free.
Bruce Ammerman
I wouldn't want to spend a couple of hours listening to computer-generated speech. I'd much rather spend a few dollars to get a professional human. - LN
By no means would I like to suggest that you get rid of advertisements, as I'm sure your survival depends on it. As a long time reader, however, I would appreciate a more thoughtful evaluation of the graphics used in the ads you carry. The recent flashy "Click here if you have a guitar" ad is so loud and distracting that nothing seems more ironic in comparison to your logo "More Signal, Less Noise".
Tom Manderfield
It is with a heavy heart that I have just unsubscribed to NSD. I have enjoyed your publication and have found many interesting, bizarre, and even useful Web sites in the e-mail you sent.
Now, I find that the pointed attitude I used to like has diluted to merely cute, the sites that grab you often don't even tap me on the shoulder, and the advertising and cookies are intrusive.
I may check into your Web site now and then to ease my withdrawal, but our relationship is over. I hope you find yourself.
Johnny Lucas
Are we not all doomed to grow apart from our sweethearts over time? Thanks for reading. - AB
Need list of subscribers for assignment.
Ritu Thapar - @sandcastle.cosc.brocku.ca
Review nsdigest
Robert Macintosh - @sandcastle.cosc.brocku.ca
So I got those two requests (?) from those two addresses within 10 minutes of each other. I figure from the sub-domain and the eloquent prose that these are computer science students. Of course, we don't give out a list of subscribers to anybody. My curiosity led me to ask whether this was some kind of class assignment, but I never got a reply. Anyone else know? - LN
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